Yuki no Ashiato
by Sapphire09
Summary: Songfic. The snow left a trail, which can be seen when we looked back. It's just a matter of time, before those trails were buried by the falling snow.


**Sapphire09: **My first songfic on Bleach. Please tell me what you think of this ^^

Another thing to tell, my grammar is not exactly the best out there. So, I'm sorry for the mistakes. (I wonder if this story even makes any sense at all...)

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Bleach, nor the song.

**Song:** Yuki no Ashiato by L'Arc~en~Ciel

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~|Yuki no Ashiato|~**  
_by Sapphire09_

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"_Now what was left is only my memory of you."_

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The grayish sky stretched out thorough the region, as the temperature dropped considerably and snow covered the entire surroundings.

_Toiki ga sutto nobotte fuyumeku sora tokedashita  
_(My sighs kept rising up, melting into the wintry sky)

At the porch, inside the Kuchiki Resident, there was a man, sitting and watching quietly the snow falls in front of him. His hair is colored in black, hanging to his shoulder, with his kenseikan nowhere on sight. His right parted fringe almost covering his left eye. From his eyes, although they seemed cold and stoic, deep emotion can be seen if you looked on closely. He wore a black kimono and white haori, with a shape of a rhombus at the back of his haori and a kanji for '6' inside the rhombus.

He let out a quiet sigh. The breath he let out turned to white puffs, which soon disappeared into the sky. Although his eyes are seeing it, his mind wasn't focused on the beautiful white scenery which adorned his backyard. Instead, his mind is replaying a memory.

_Sunda kuuki ni kokoro wa arawarete sakanoboru_  
(The clear air washes my heart clean, and takes me back )

It was a beautiful memory, but also painful for him to remember.

_Tachidomattari, mawarimichimo shita kedo_  
(There were times I stopped, and times I took the long way around but)

Because it was the memory of one Kuchiki Hisana, a woman he once loved.

_Hitotsu hitotsu ga taisetsu na kioku_  
(Each of them is a precious memory)

A memory he wished he could forget, but didn't want to disappear.

_Kyou no youni itsunohimo kimito tomoni_...  
(Just like today, I want to be with you, always...)

Inside his mind, a scene is played. The place, the scenery, is all the same. The only thing that is different is that he wasn't sitting alone.

A petite woman in soft pink kimono, with gentle eyes and warm smile, is accompanying him, sitting beside him. The white haori he wore was shared together with the woman, warming both of them. His left hand was around the woman's waist, pulling her closer to him.

_Furidashita yuki ga atari wo somete_  
(The overflowing snow is coloring our surroundings)

"Byakuya-sama, don't you think that the snow is amazing?" the woman beside him asked. Byakuya stayed silent, but the questioning look on his face can already answer her question. The woman then let out a soft chuckle.

_Bokurawo sotto tsutsumikonde yukuyo yasashiku_  
(It's wrapping us up gently, tenderly)

"How, I may ask? Snow is only frozen water that fell from the cooled cloud. Added to that, snow is cold," Byakuya said emotionlessly. The woman's smile then fell for the slightest bit at his answer.

"Snow… I love them. They were beautiful, in every form. The falling snow can give you a… sense of tranquility, while the snow that's covering our surroundings gives you a sense of peacefulness," she explained as her eyes focused on the snow, before turning to him again.

"They also reminded me of you."

_Kimi ga itakara imademo maewo muite susumerunda_  
(It's because of you, that I can keep moving forward)

Byakuya's eyebrows then rose. The woman chuckled again at his expression, before her eyes darted again at the beautiful scenery in front of them. Her gentle eyes saddened then.

"I wonder, if my sister can see the scenery like this too," she said, more to herself. None of them said a word after that. Byakuya, because he didn't know how to reply, to make her feel better, and Hisana, because she was deep in thought of her sister. However, Byakuya can see that her hands are shivering on her lap.

_Irodoru fuyu wo aruite kokoro kara souomou_  
(As I walk through the winter, I believe that with all my heart)

All he can do for her right now is to put his right hand on top of her shivering hand. Hisana, she responded by turning her palm, intertwining their hands together.

_Hodouzoini wa kozueni saku yuki no hana_  
(Along the roadside, there're snow flowers blooming on the treetop)

They stayed like that in silence, with their sight focusing on the falling snow in front of them. They watched the snow piling up, creating a breathtaking cloak which covers everything in sight.

_Shiroi kyanbasu rakugaki no romen_  
(The road is graffiti on a white canvas)

"Did you go to Rukongai again?" Byakuya asked. Concern is evident in his tone. Hisana didn't answer right away, but she nodded. Soon after, she coughed a lot before finally stopped. Her body went limp beside him. Byakuya's grip on her hand tightens in concern.

_Tsumetai te kasaneai atatameau_  
(We put our cold hands together, warming each other)

"Don't force yourself too much. You have to pay attention to your health too," Byakuya said again. Hisana then looked up to him, smiling gently at his concern.

_Furikaeri mireba narabu ashiato_  
(If I looked back, I can see our footprints side by side)

"Yes, Byakuya-sama. I'm sorry… It's just that…," Hisana trailed off. "…I really wanted to find her soon."

_Koronda ato wo nagame hohoemiau... Fuyunohi_  
(Smiling at the scene of the fallen down footprints.. the winter days)

Hisana then coughed again. Byakuya's look of concern intensified then. He then put the haori around them around her shoulder, to warm her up.

"Perhaps we should go inside?" he asked with the same concern. Hisana looked at him before she shook her head and smiled gently at him again.

_Itsumo te ni te wo toruyouni_  
(Always hand in hand,)

"I… would like to see the snow much longer, Byakuya-sama," she said. She then leaned to Byakuya's shoulder.

"I would like... to think that… this snow is connecting me… to Rukia," she said as she closed her eyes in exhaustion. Byakuya then put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer the warmth of his body heat.

_Koushite shikkari fumishime yukou_  
(Lets step on firmly like this)

Now, outside his mind, he sat alone, watching the snow falls. He never knew why he stayed there. Snow was Hisana's favorite thing, and it often reminded him of Hisana's death.

He then reached for some snowflakes to fall to his palm. When it did, it slowly melting into water, dripping down to the ground, leaving only the wetness.

"Now what was left is only my memory of you," he muttered as he closed his fist and stared ahead.

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Rukia can't get her sight away from the window of her room. The falling snow just entices her too much

"So pretty…," she muttered. She then grinned to herself, before deciding to go to the porch and watch the beautiful scenery of this winter. The view from the porch always has been the best in her eyes, ever since she arrived at this Kuchiki household.

However, when she arrived, she found Byakuya sitting alone and has a faraway look in his eyes.

_Furitsumoru yuki to shiroi ashiato  
_(The piling up snow and the white footprints)

Rukia soon stopped and refrained herself from watching from the porch. She was about to go back, but then she realized that the way Byakuya looked right now in her eyes just seemed too…

Lonely.

_Futari de egakuyouni aruiteku itsumademo_  
(Just like sketching them, we walk together, forever)

Rukia then ran back inside, before coming back with a couple of tea and some snacks. At first she hesitated to bring the snack, but then she decided that if Byakuya doesn't want to eat them, she'll just finish them off. She then takes a deep breath before walking closer to Byakuya.

"Nii-sama?" she called softly.

_Sotto yorisoumitaini_  
(Cuddling close together)

"Yes, Rukia?" Byakuya said in monotone, without turning at her. Rukia felt like regretting her decision, but she knew that it's impossible to back down now. So, she kneeled near Byakuya and put one of the green tea near him, along with the snacks. Her head kept bowing down.

If she held her head up, she might be able to see Byakuya's eyebrows raised to his hairline.

_mou sukoshi yukkuri issho ni kaerou_  
(Let's walk home together a little bit more)

When Byakuya didn't say anything, Rukia thought that she has offended him. So, she hurriedly said, "I-If you don't want them, then I'll take it back." She was about to take the tea back to the tray, along with the snacks, but then a hand stopped her, holding the hand that is about to reach the cup of tea. It was Byakuya's. Rukia, who was surprised, looked up in curiosity.

"That tea…," Byakuya started. Rukia then see that he pointed to her share, which is still on the tray. "…is it for you?" he asked. Rukia nodded. Byakuya then released his grip, turning to see the falling snow again.

"Sit beside me then," he said. Rukia was surprised at the offer, but decided to comply. She put her share of the tea near herself. Both of them then watch the snow in silence. Rukia, because she was amazed by the snow, while Byakuya was because he was busy thinking.

Rukia was too preoccupied by the snow; she didn't realize that Byakuya is looking at her amazed look. She also didn't realize his ghost of smile.

'_Perhaps, snow isn't so bad, after all.'

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**Sapphire09 :** My first Bleach fanfic ever! (that is, if you don't count my BleachNaruto crossover). I was trying to match the story with the song as much as possible.

Few part of the ByakuHisa scene was inspired by Bleach the Movie 3 : Fade to Black (I almost cried at the end... Love the dark Rukia part.)

Please tell me what you think of this story....


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